A
state agency or local public office may request that the auditor of state
conduct a feasibility study to determine if greater efficiency or cost savings
could be realized by the state agency or local public office sharing services
or facilities with other state agencies or local public offices. In the
request, the requesting state agency or local public office shall identify for
the auditor of state the specific state agencies or local public offices that
may be included within the proposed plan for sharing services or
facilities.

The auditor of state shall provide written notification to
each state agency and local public office that is identified in a request. The
auditor of state may review only those identified state agencies or local
public offices that do not opt out. To opt out, a state agency or local public
office shall provide an opt out notice to the auditor of state within sixty
days of the date on which the auditor's notification to the state agency or
local public office is postmarked. If a state agency or local public office
opts out of a requested feasibility study, the auditor of state, at the
auditor's discretion, may cancel the feasibility study or may proceed to
conduct the feasibility study considering only the identified state agencies
and local public offices that have not opted out.

The auditing team that conducts performance audits shall
conduct the feasibility study requested by a state agency or local public
office as funds are allowed and available under section
117.47 of the Revised
Code.

Not later than ten days before commencing a feasibility
study requested under this section, the auditor of state shall provide written
notice to the requesting state agency or local public office, and any other
state agency or local public office that consented to being reviewed, of the
date the study will be commenced.

The auditor of state shall pay the costs incurred by the
auditor or the auditing team in conducting feasibility studies under this
section.

Not later than one hundred eighty days after completing a
feasibility study, the auditor of state shall conduct a public hearing on the
feasibility study findings. Not later than ten days before the date of the
public hearing, the auditor shall give notice of the date, time, and location
of the public hearing in writing to the state agency or local public office
that requested the feasibility study, to any other state agency or local public
office that consented to being reviewed, and on the auditor's web site.